Two men and three women were sentenced to a year in jail each for having consensual sex on a yacht during a party involving liquor and immoral practices among 28 invitees.
Dubai Police arrested the 28 invitees — 13 women and 15 men — some of whom are policemen and army personnel, as soon as the yacht berthed at Dubai Marina in October 2014.
Prosecutors accused the 28 defendants, 20 Emiratis and the remaining of other nationalities, of getting together on the yacht without being related to each other, inciting each other to commit sins by committing immoral practices and drinking alcohol and partying without being related to each other.
The Dubai Misdemeanours Court jailed two women and three men to one year in jail for having consensual sex.
According to Sunday’s ruling, the presiding judge convicted the 28 defendants of inciting each other to commit sins [immoral behaviour of different sorts ] and fined each of them Dh2,000.
An Emirati defendant was acquitted of possessing 101 bottles of alcohol that the police seized when they raided the yacht at 7.30am. He was also cleared of having alcohol.
Meanwhile two women and six men were fined Dh2,000 each for dinking liquor.
A male and a female defendant [who were convicted of having consensual sex] will be deported following the completion of their punishments.
Records said Dubai Police’s Operation Room was informed about some policemen involved in organising sex and alcohol parties on board yachts at Dubai Marina.
A special police team was commissioned to raid the yacht and investigate whether there were any illegal practices during the parties.
The yacht was placed under observation from 1am until the next morning when it sailed back to the Dubai Marina and berthed between 6am and 7am.
Having obtained prosecutors’ warrant to search and arrest any suspect involved in illegal practices, the police team swept into action and boarded the yacht.
A policewoman, who was in the raiding team, told prosecutors: “We seized many alcohol bottles and also confiscated bed sheets and covers to have them examined and see whether there had been any form of sexual activity. When we raided the yacht, some of the defendants were present on the deck while others were in the bedrooms. Most of the female defendants wore revealing clothes while others were in bikinis. Meanwhile the male suspects were in swimsuits and shorts.”
A police lieutenant told prosecutors that during questioning some of the female defendants claimed it was a birthday party.
“Most of the defendants were very drunk. They were all taken in for questioning at the police station. One of the male defendants had make up on his face. There was a birthday cake, balloons and gifts as well,” said the lieutenant.
The primary ruling remains subject to appeal within 15 days.
